The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that eight political associations successfully completed the first stage of party registration, while six others were disqualified.
In a statement on Thursday, October 30, 2025, Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission reviewed progress during its regular meeting, following an earlier update on September 11. He explained that 14 associations had been pre-qualified to participate in the registration process, which started with a briefing on September 17.
“A dedicated portal for submitting required documents was open from September 18 to October 18. As of Saturday, October 19, 2025, eight out of the 14 pre-qualified associations successfully uploaded all necessary information and documentation,” Olumekun stated.
He added that the next stage involves a detailed assessment and verification of the submitted documents to ensure compliance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022).
“The next step in the registration process is the detailed assessment and verification of information and documents submitted by each association. This stage will ensure conformity with relevant laws and guidelines,” Olumekun explained.
Reaffirming INEC’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and inclusivity, he said the commission remains dedicated to deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.
INEC also noted that it had received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration, but only eight have cleared the initial stage so far.
